Colleen Burton (born April 19, 1958) is an American politician who served as a member of the
Florida House of Representatives
The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida Senate being the upper house. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of Florida, adopted ...
for the 40th district from 2014 to 2022.
Early life and education
Burton was born in
Heidelberg
Heidelberg (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: ''Heidlberg'') is a city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914 ...
,
West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
, to a military family. She attended
California State University, Sacramento, graduating with a degree in public administration in 1980.
Career
After graduating from college, Burton moved to
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is the most populous city in Polk County, Florida, part of the Tampa Bay Area, located along Interstate 4 east of Tampa. According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau release, the city had a population of 112,641. Lakeland is a principal c ...
, and began working for a number of nonprofit organizations, starting with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Polk County. Burton then took a job as the Executive Director of the Imperial Symphony Orchestra and then formed Polk Vision, a group of government representatives, local business leaders, and residents to chart out the future of
Polk County.
Burton ran for
Polk County supervisor of elections in 2012, challenging incumbent Supervisor Lori Edwards in the nonpartisan primary, and campaigned on her "ability to pull people together to work for a common cause," as she did with Polk Vision. ''
The Ledger'' endorsed Edwards over Burton, though praised both as "top-notch candidates with long records of successful, high-level public service." Edwards defeated Burton with 73% of the vote.
Florida House of Representatives
In 2014, incumbent
State Representative
A state legislature is a legislative branch or body of a political subdivision in a federal system.
Two federations literally use the term "state legislature":
* The legislative branches of each of the fifty state governments of the United Sta ...
Seth McKeel
Seth McKeel (born June 5, 1975) was a Republican Party (United States), Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives from 2006 to 2014, representing the 63rd District from 2006 to 2012 and the 40th District, which included most of La ...
was unable to seek re-election due to term limits, so Burton ran to succeed him. She faced attorney John Hugh Shannon in the
Republican primary, and she was endorsed by a number of locally elected
Republicans
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
, including
State Senators Kelli Stargel
Kelli Stargel (born March 23, 1966) is an American politician who is a Republican member of the Florida State Senate, representing the Lakeland area since 2012. She has represented the 22nd district, encompassing northern Polk and southern Lake ...
and
Denise Grimsley
Denise Grimsley (born September 21, 1959) is a Republican member of the Florida State Senate, representing parts of Central and Southwest Florida since 2012. She has represented the 26th district, which includes Highlands, Okeechobee, Glades, ...
. Burton campaigned on her support for cutting taxes, continuing education funding at current levels, reducing regulation, and work with local economic development groups to ask, "What can we do? What can happen in Tallahassee to enhance your position so that more companies come to Polk County?" She was attacked during the campaign by an organization supporting Shannon for being "too liberal" by developing a plan that "raised property taxes by 23 percent and utility fees by 500 percent" and for supporting assistance for undocumented immigrants, an attack that she condemned as "predictable, unethical and illegal." In the end, Burton narrowly emerged victorious over Shannon, defeating him by fewer than 200 votes and winning 51% of the vote. She advanced to the general election, where she faced Ricky Shirah, the
Democratic nominee, and Ed Shoemaker, the
American Independent Party nominee. During the campaign, Burton campaigned on her opposition to the expansion of
Medicaid
Medicaid in the United States is a federal and state program that helps with healthcare costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid also offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, including nursing home care and pers ...
under the
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act (ACA), formally known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and colloquially known as Obamacare, is a landmark U.S. federal statute enacted by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by Presi ...
, her opposition to changing the process by which legislative districts are drawn, and her support for education funding.
Burton ended up defeating her opponents by a wide margin, winning her first term in the legislature with 55% of the vote to Shirah's 40% and Shoemaker's 5%.
See also
*
Florida House of Representatives
The Florida House of Representatives is the lower house of the Florida Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Florida, the Florida Senate being the upper house. Article III, Section 1 of the Constitution of Florida, adopted ...
References
External links
Florida House of Representatives - Colleen BurtonColleen Burton for State Representative
{{DEFAULTSORT:Burton, Colleen
Republican Party members of the Florida House of Representatives
1958 births
Living people
People from Lakeland, Florida
California State University, Sacramento alumni
Women state legislators in Florida
21st-century American politicians
21st-century American women politicians